Warships of the US Navy: Battleships, New York-class: USS New York (BB-34), and USS Texas (BB-35)

New York-class battleships

The New York class was a pair of super-dreadnought battleships built for the United States Navy between 1911 and 1914. The two ships of the class, New York and Texas, saw extensive service beginning in the occupation of Veracruz, the First World War and the Second World War.

Designed as a more heavily armed improvement over the previous Wyoming class,the New York class was the first battleship to feature the 14-inch (356 mm)/45 caliber gun and the first American super-dreadnought, but was one of the last battleship classes designed with a five-turret layout and coal for fuel. The class also suffered several deficiencies such as a lack of anti-aircraft weaponry and armour layout, resulting in several extensive overhauls over the course of their careers which greatly changed their appearance. The New York's problems were addressed in the subsequent Standard-type battleships starting with the Nevada class.

Both New York and Texas entered service in 1914 and immediately served in the occupation of Veracruz, and service reinforcing the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet in the North Sea during the First World War, during which time New York is believed to have sunk a U-boat in an accidental collision. Both ships undertook numerous training exercises and overhauls during the interwar era, and joined the Neutrality Patrol at the beginning of the Second World War. Outmoded by more advanced battleships in service, both ships served primarily as convoy escorts and naval artillery during the war. New York supported Operation Torch in North Africa, undertook convoy patrols and training in the Atlantic, and supported the Battle of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa. Texas supported Operation Torch, Operation Overlord, the bombardment of Cherbourg, Operation Dragoon and the battles at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Following the war, New York was used as a target ship in Operation Crossroads and sunk as a target in 1948, while Texas was converted into a museum ship, and was moored in San Jacinto State Park until being moved to a drydock in Galveston, Texas in August 2022 for restoration operations. (Wikipedia)

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U.S. Navy battleship USS New York (BB-34) leads USS Nevada (BB-36) and USS Oklahoma (BB-37) during maneuvers, in 1932. The aircraft carrier USS Langley (CV-1) is partially visible in the distance.

Shortly after commissioning, New Yorkbecame flagship for the United States occupation of Veracruz in 1914.[24]During World War I, she became flagship of Battleship Division 9, commanded byRear Admiral Hugh Rodman. Sent to reinforce the British Grand Fleet in theNorth Sea, she conducted blockade and escort duties. She twice came intocontact with German U-boats, and is believed to have accidentally sunk one. Shereturned to the United States at the end of the war, and began taking on patroland training duties. New York was fitted with XAF RADAR in February 1938,including the first United States duplexer so a single antenna could both sendand receive.

She was a part of the Neutrality Patrol following the outbreak of the SecondWorld War in September 1939, and spent the beginning of the war escortingconvoys between New York and Iceland. She saw action supporting OperationTorch, the Allied invasion of North Africa, where she targeted shore batteriesthreatening the landings in November 1942. She remained in convoy patrol andtraining for several years, until she was moved to the Pacific Fleet late inthe war and supported landings on Iwo Jima in February 1945, and later theinvasion of Okinawa in April 1945. She was lightly damaged by a kamikaze attackin this battle. Following the war, she was used as a target ship during the twoatomic bomb tests of Operation Crossroads, and was subsequently studied for itseffects, before being sunk as a target off Hawaii in 1948. (Wikipedia)

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The U.S. Navy battleship USS New York (BB-34) underway at high speed on 29 May 1915.

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The U.S. Navy battleship USS New York (BB-34) underway in Hampton Roads, Virginia (USA), on 4 November 1944, escorted by tugs. She had just completed a refit at Norfolk Naval Shipyard which included new 76mm gun directors (Mark 50) one above the bridge and the other atop her stub mainmast. The 20 mm AA gun array along main deck edge is clearly visible. She is painted in Camouflage Measure 31a, Design 8B.

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Battleship USS Texas (BB-35). Off New York City, circa 1919.

Texas also participated in the occupation of Veracruz for several months in 1914,[39] before conducting training andupgrades to become the first ship of the US Navy to mount anti-aircraftweapons. She conducted convoy patrols early in the First World War and was the first US ship to fire on a German one during a convoy mission in 1917. Shejoined other US battleships in reinforcing the British fleet near the end ofthe war and was present for the German surrender. In the inter-war period shebecame one of the first battleships to launch and operate aircraft,[41] andfrequently alternated her time between the Atlantic and Pacific waters ontraining exercises.

She was part of the Neutrality Patrol at the beginning of the Second World War and supported Allied landings at North Africa, and then conducted convoy patrolduty to North African and European ports throughout 1943. On 6 June 1944, shesupported Operation Overlord, covering Allied landings on the beaches ofNormandy, France, in particular the battle at Pointe du Hoc. Later that monthon 25 June, she supported the bombardment of Cherbourg and there was damagedwhen she was hit with a German artillery shell. In July she moved to support Operation Dragoon, the Allied invasion of southern France. Following extensive repairs and training, she moved to the Pacific and supported the invasion of Iwo Jima in February 1945. She then moved to support landings on Okinawa inApril. Following the end of the war, Texas was decommissioned, and in 1948 she was moved to San Jacinto State Park and converted into a museum ship. She remained there until 31 August 2022. She was floated to a drydock in Galveston, Texas for $35,000,000 restoration project estimated to last for 12–18 months. In 2024, it was announced that the ship will stay in Galveston as a museum ship when restoration is completed. (Wikipedia)

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USS Texas (BB-35). Underway off Norfolk, Virginia, 15 March 1943, with her main battery gun turrets trained to port.

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USS Texas (BB-35). Dressed with flags for Navy Day, 27 October 1940.

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USS Texas (BB-35) underway off Iwo Jima during the landings there in February 1945.

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